Warriors take on their old coach tonight in Sydney

The New Zealand Warriors utility Lewis Brown says while there'll be no tactical surprises when they meet the Ivan Cleary coached Penrith Panthers in tonight's National Rugby League match, the challenge is to stop the opposition from executing their game plan.

It's the first time the Warriors play the side now coached by Cleary, who was the Warriors longest-serving coach and took them to the premiership final last year, before moving on.

The current Warriors coach Brian McClennan thinks Cleary's inside knowledge of the Warriors will be to Penrith's advantage but Lewis Brown says it goes both ways and they need to upset Penrith's game template.

Penrith are five places below the Warriors in second to last place, though they've won only one fewer match than the New Zealand side.

The game is being playing at Centrebet Stadium in West Sydney at 7:30pm.